


A Peck of Trouble

by Ninkasa



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Season 3 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-14
Updated: 2012-02-14
Packaged: 2017-10-31 03:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/339545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninkasa/pseuds/Ninkasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boys get themselves into trouble and Ruby has to get them out of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Peck of Trouble

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be carrying a gun in here.”

Ruby clicked her tongue and then frowned hard as Dean pushed past her, clearly choosing to ignore her warning.

Fine.

Then it wasn’t her fault when he got nabbed by the security for walking into a casino with a freaking loaded gun.

Sam raised an eyebrow at her and tried not to laugh. “Are you coming, or not?”

“Oh yeah, Sam. Because I want to be arrested because two wanted fugitives turned up in a casino with a loaded gun. It’s a sure shot to a holding cell. ”

Shape shifter or no shape shifter.

Besides, she wasn’t sure it was a shape shifter. 

She wasn’t sure Dean wasn’t just overreacting because of the last shape shifter he’d encountered.

And she wasn’t sure why Sam was giving her that look.

“WHAT?”

Sam shook his head quickly, hiding the smile that was clearly playing on his mouth and shrugged. “Nothing.”

“Right,” Ruby said. She frowned harder. “Stay in touch. I’ve got a lot of time invested in you two, I’d like to not hear about you dying on the six o’clock news.”

“Your confidence is overwhelming.”

Ruby shrugged and waved her hand that was holding her keys and her cell phone.

“Yell when you find out you’re in over your heads,” she said, walking away.

“And when we’re not?” Dean’s voice came from behind Sam, stopped a few feet away from the door.

Ruby grinned at him as she opened her car door.

“You will be.”

*****

Ruby tossed her fork down onto the plate and turned around to see where the waitress had gone. She’d like to pay and get the hell out of the diner.

The dark haired girl who had been harassing her the entire time she’d been eating, but who had vanished as soon as she’d needed her looked up from behind the counter and then reached out to turn up the news.

On the screen -- although Ruby was too far away to hear what was actually being said -- was an image of a casino. 

The same casino she’d just left the boys at not -- she glanced at the time on the television -- four hours ago.

Six o’clock news.

Ruby snatched up her check and went up to the counter to where her waitress was standing as her cell phone chimed with a text message.

The casino on screen was apparently being held up and had gotten out of control.

A quick glance down at her cellphone made her grimace.

It was from Sam.

It said -- amongst other gobbledygook that said Sam was trying to type as quickly as possible -- 

Not a shape shifter. Just a douche bag. We’re kind of stuck here -- with everyone else. Help?

On screen, as the waitress tried to hand Ruby her change -- a clear shot of the man the boys had been convinced was a shape shifter. 

The casino robber.

No eyeshine.

Yeah, no. Definitely not a shape shifter.

Which meant the boys were now being held inside a casino that was being robbed.

Which meant that Dean was sure to get picked up when the cops finally busted in. She didn’t think they could slip out past the cops another time. 

She’d told him not to go in there with a loaded gun.

Which was no doubt one of the guns the damn criminals were using now. And sure, it was entirely possible that the boys could get out on their own. If she’d heard correctly, they’d done it before.

But that just wasn’t a chance she was willing to take. She needed them, goddamnit. It was too bad the keys to her entire plan were dumb as rain most of the time.

It was no wonder they’d both died multiple times.

*****

Getting in shouldn’t really be a problem. The service entrance wasn’t being guarded and the cops had yet to fully surround the building. 

The biggest problem was finding someplace to leave her meat suit where she was sure to be found.

Hopefully soon, because she didn’t like going terribly long without a body. But it was the best thing she could think of. An unconscious girl wasn’t likely to gain too much suspicion as a threat and they wouldn’t be expecting her to be able to get the upper hand on them.

Ruby sighed briefly before smoking out of her body. She wasn’t happy about it. She’d grown fond of that body and she worried that she might not be able to reclaim it. But she also couldn’t exactly go waltzing into a room full of armed men without raising a few eyebrows, not to mention guns.

And she couldn’t just apparate inside the room either. She’d considered putting the lights out and using that to get to the room the boys were in, but she’d still have to explain where she’d come from.

Ruby drifted up into the ducts above the closet and headed in the direction of the shouting men on the second floor.

Sam better appreciate everything she went through for him.

Because goddamn was she never going around without a meatsuit without a damn good reason.

She felt naked.

*****

Sam drummed his fingers against his legs and glanced over at Dean, who was sitting with his chin resting in his hand against the wall next to him.

It had been so obvious it was a shape shifter.

How the hell had they gotten that wrong?

Then again. . .maybe it was a shape shifter who’d taken the guy’s shape, but the guy the shifter had taken the shape of just happened to be a creep who robbed casinos full of rich people.

Or. . .Or. . .

Sam jerked slightly at the feel of Dean tapping hard on his leg.

Sam frowned at him and then looked slowly at where Dean was surreptitiously jerking his head.

Coming from the air duct above the head of one of their captors was a cloud of. . .well, if he didn’t know better, he’d say bugs. 

But he did know better.

Black smoke.

Oh, he really hoped that was someone they knew.

He had a wild moment where he wanted to text Ruby about what she was up to, but hesitated, he’d given her as much information as possible without alerting the thieves to him using his phone.

Which was just as well because really it was only a matter of time before the robbers took their phones and he didn’t want their captors scrolling back through all of his texts. He’d been as vague as possible just in case they confiscated his phone.

The one moment he hesitated, was long enough for the door to open and another of the men -- Craig? Greg? -- came in, carrying a lifeless body of a young blonde woman.

A young blonde woman who was sure to be disoriented when she woke up because God knew how long Ruby had been possessing her.

Oh.

The leader -- who’s name was definitely Seth -- that much Sam had picked up on -- came over to Craig and/or Greg and said something in a hissed voice, the pistol he’d been pointing so vicariously at everyone in the room now swaying vicariously in the air above his partner’s head.

Sam started to open his mouth, and then quickly clamped it shut as Dean jabbed him hard in the side. He watched -- this time without Dean’s guidance -- as the black smoke from earlier slipped slowly and discreetly (honestly, who would really believe some random black smoke was floating through the room anyway?) back to the body he’d come to recognize as Ruby and disappeared into the girl’s nose.

“Oh, that’s just not right,” Dean said quietly from beside Sam, Sam looked at him, but he wasn’t sure if Dean’s objection was from the possession or the manner in which Ruby’d entered the body.

It took a moment -- but really, only a moment -- before the girl’s body shuddered and her eyes opened. A moment when the eyes shone black and then they were back to blue and the man holding -- Ruby -- was trying to stand her up and back away at the same time.

“We found her in the janitor’s closet,” Craig and/or Greg said. “She was unconscious.”

“Well, she’s not now,” Seth said, turning to point the gun at Ruby. “Who are you?”

Ruby -- oh, it was definitely Ruby -- folded her arms and stared at him. “A customer,” she said in that tone of voice she got that declared the person she was talking to was too stupid to live. She talked to Dean like that a lot. “I hid when you guys came in and started pointing guns at everyone.”

She paused a moment. “I’m not sure what happened after that.”

Sam glanced at Dean and then shifted slightly as she came over and sat down cross-legged next to him.

“What did I miss?”

Oh, boy.

*****

The flaw in the plan was that this was the plan.

Okay, the plan didn’t actually go any further right now than getting into the casino and getting the Brothers Winchester out, but still. 

“Okay,” Dean said, leaning across Sam in a manner that made Sam wince. “What the hell?”

Ruby rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to pretend he hadn’t spoken. “How’s that shape-shifter hunt coming along?”

Dean opened his mouth -- probably to respond -- but Sam nudged him in the ribs at that point in time and threw a glance over at their captors, who were talking to the security guard. Trying to get him to open the safe, probably. . .

“Okay, so it wasn’t a shape-shifter--”

“Really?”

Sam ignored that and kept talking. “But we’ve still got a problem.”

“No kidding,” Ruby said. She glanced at the clock. “I say we’ve got about half-an-hour before the cops decide to start smoking the geniuses out and the last thing we want is them catching you two.”

She paused. “So we need to get you guys out before they get in here.”

“Well, I’m game,” Dean said. “How do we do that?”

Ruby frowned for a moment.

She was fairly certain there was no way she could physically hurt their captors and still convince the boys that they needed to come along with her.

So the obvious thing to do was something that wouldn’t hurt anyone but that would distract long enough for them to get out of the casino.

Again she thought of cutting the power. It would make more sense now. Of course, it would also freak the captors out enough that they might become violent.

Although they obviously didn’t really plan on shooting anyone. The younger of the two had a gun that wasn’t even loaded and their fearless leader still had the safety on.

She had a feeling that perhaps they hadn’t really planned on robbing anyone and maybe they’d gotten in over their heads.

It seemed reasonable that the others who were wandering the building were using them as a scapegoat while they robbed the vault.

Actually she was positive of it, the panicked thoughts of the younger guy were a bit sad.

Yeah, definitely the best course of action was to create a diversion.

“Okay, guys,” Ruby said, turning slowly and quietly to look at the two of them.

“We’re going to create a diversion. When it happens, get out that door --” the lock behind them clicked almost soundlessly. “And head for the stairs.” She paused. “We’ll have to improvise after that.”

She had the knife, and -- 

“Please tell me one of you still has the gun you brought in here?”

Dean shifted and reached his hand down in the inside pocket of his jacket. “They only got the one.”

“And the knife,” Sam said. “The one with silver is still here.”

Thank god for inept criminals.

To be fair how many burglars would expect other people to be in the room with guns?

“So, what’s the diversion?” Sam said softly.

Ruby shook her head as the younger of the men walked past them, eyeing her strangely before walking back to talk to his partner.

“Just get ready to run.”

She focused her attention slowly on the lights above their head.

They only needed the cover of darkness for a few moments. Honestly, it was all they would get before the cronies in the hall were sure to notice people wandering the halls who weren’t part of their gang.

Dean opened his mouth -- probably to make some comment about the fact that she wasn’t their boss.

Then the lights overhead flickered and died and Ruby found herself dragging Sam into standing position and shoving Dean towards the door as the other people in the room started screaming.

Oh, she really hoped no one started shooting.

*****

The next time Sam said “it’s a shape shifter”, Dean was going to demand proof in triplicate.

Because this was not only a complete clusterfuck, but really fucking embarrassing to have to have Ruby of all -- err -- people come sweeping in to rescue them.

Dean slowed down as several armed men came around the corner and took aim at them.

Fuck.

He aimed carefully and hit the closest guy in the shoulder.

He would have shot the other one too, but Ruby was dragging hard on his coat collar, pulling towards the stairs.

“Don’t shoot at anyone. We don’t want anything on camera of you doing anything,” Sam demanded as he hit the stairwell door and shoved hard.

Somewhere overhead, the fire alarm went off.

Clearly this was an emergency exit.

They were slamming down the concrete stairs as fast as they could, Ruby leading the way in such a manner that made Dean think she was actually slowing herself down so they could keep up with her.

They hit the last landing as a gunshot ricocheted off the wall near Sam’s head.

It was Dean’s knee-jerk reaction to turn and shoot whoever the hell had just fired that shot, but Sam was yelling at him to get through the door and if he didn’t move, then Ruby was going to come back and manhandle him again and really -- he’d rather die than have that happen again.

The door swung shut behind them bringing them up at a back hallway where Ruby was stopped near what looked like the fire exit making either frantic hurry motions at them.

Or maybe she was flipping them off.

Really it could be either.

Dean caught up with Sam at the door as Ruby pushed it open.

“Get to your car,” she said. “And drive. Get out of town. We’ve got maybe ten minutes before the geniuses upstairs are on us and about twenty before the cops start taking initiative.”

Dean pushed out the door past Sam, but hesitated a moment.

“What are you going to do?”

Ruby slipped out the door after Sam and turned back to look at him as the sound of the men from upstairs hit the last landing.

“I’m going to lead them off.”

Dean saw Sam open his mouth but Ruby was pushing again and Dean moved backwards quickly.

“You stupid asses. Go.”

Dean pulled hard on Sam’s arm.

“Come on, Sam. Move.”

The last thing Dean saw as they rounded the corner was a flash of blonde hair and the pound of feet as Ruby and their pursuers rounded the corner on the other side.

*****

It was well after midnight when there was a knock on the motel door.

Sam threw a look over his shoulder at the door to the bathroom where Dean was in the shower and then tossed the book he was reading down on the bed to answer it.

They were about a state over from where the robbery had taken place and the only reason they weren’t two states over was that neither of them could keep their eyes open to drive anymore.

He was still holding a gun at the ready when he cracked the door to see Ruby standing on the stoop.

Oh.

He closed the door to undo the chain and then stood back to let her in.

“Fast driving,” was all she said as she came in and turned to look at him.

Sam shrugged and closed the door, pocketing the gun as he did so.

“We had an incentive.”

Ruby raised an eyebrow at this, a smile playing softly on her mouth as she did.

“I noticed.” She paused, appeared to be considering saying something and then closed her mouth and sat down on the edge of Sam’s bed.

“So. . .not a shape shifter?” Sam said after a moment’s silence.

“No. No, I think there definitely was a shape shifter. But I think before you guys got there he’d already shifted.”

Ruby paused.

“It was just poor dumb luck that he took the form of the boy who happened to be about to rob the place.”

Sam wanted to say thank you, but wasn’t sure how she would take it, so he didn’t say anything.

Ruby shifted her shoulders, pushing her hair out of her eyes as she did so.

“You’ve got to be more careful, Sam,” Ruby said after a moment. “You can’t go rushing into these things half-cocked. What would you have done if you’d been on your own?”

“I wasn’t on my own,” Sam said. “Dean was there.”

Which was her point, of course.

Ruby raised an eyebrow. “In six months, he might not be. I am trying to keep you guys alive here and I can’t do that if you go rushing into these stupid situations.” She paused “What would have happened if I hadn’t been in town?”

They would probably have sat there until -- until the cops came and arrested them. It wasn’t that they weren’t thinking of ways out, but they’d only been there for a few hours and everything they thought of hinged on them being able to get out of the room they were in. The only thing they’d been able to think of was to wait until the cops tried to get in and use that chaos to get out, like they’d done with Ron at the bank. . .

OH.

Ruby sighed, stood up and stretched as the shower shut off.

“I know I keep telling you that you need to be more like your brother, but you don’t have to do everything the way he would. You’re smart, Sam. You should let that guide you more.”

Ruby tipped her head to the side and smiled.

“The next time you need my help, call me before you get held hostage.”

Sam nodded slowly, mirroring the smile. 

“Will do.”

Ruby nodded and walked back over to the door.

“Ruby?”

She stopped in the process of opening the door and turned back to him. “Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

Ruby smiled. “No problem. Like I said -- I have a lot of time invested in you. I’d like to keep you around.”

She paused, seeming to be debating whether to say anything or not.

“You’re going to be fine, Sam. You’re stronger than you think.”

Sam opened his mouth to say -- something.

But she was already gone.

He shrugged his shoulders as the curtains drifted slightly in response to the shift in the air.

“I hope so.”


End file.
